Trials of the Moonlight

Lenge, Lenge Siden

Elsa read through the story as if it were familiar to her. The youngest mermaid went to the surface, where she saved a man from a sinking ship.

"If men aren't drowned," the little mermaid asked, "do they live on forever? Don't they die, as we do down here in the sea?"

"Yes," the old lady said, "they too must die, and their lifetimes are even shorter than ours. We can live to be three hundred years old, but when we perish we turn into mere foam on the sea, and haven't even a grave down here among our dear ones. We have no immortal soul, no life hereafter. We are like the green seaweed - once cut down, it never grows again. Human beings, on the contrary, have a soul which lives forever, long after their bodies have turned to clay. It rises through thin air, up to the shining stars. Just as we rise through the water to see the lands on earth, so men rise up to beautiful places unknown, which we shall never see."

Something about that made Jack quirk a brow in interest. Sophie was getting tired, but she liked listening to the Princess' calm voice.

"Then I must also die and float as foam upon the sea, not hearing the music of the waves, and seeing neither the beautiful flowers nor the red sun! Can't I do anything at all to win an immortal soul?"

"Kind of morbid for a kid's story, isn't it?" Jack interrupted.

"Not all fairytales are for kids, Jack."

"Yeah! Now stop! I wanna finish!" Sophie exclaimed. Jack smirked and rolled his eyes. Elsa went on, and the story did grow darker, but the ending truly helped wrap it up beautifully. For the mermaid's selfless deeds to humankind, she was granted her own immortal soul, and soon, the prince's soul would join hers in heaven.

Elsa finished with a sigh. "Okay, that's enough for the night."

Sophie yawned. "Jack, can you take me back to bed?"

"That's what I came here to do... twenty minutes ago."

Elsa snorted. Sophie hugged her; the two had become so close since she arrived in Arendelle. Sophie had not only gotten her brother back, but she gained a sister too. "Good night, Elsa."

"Good night, Sophie." She stroked her hair. "Good night, Jack."

"G'night."

Jack took her down the dark halls of the castle. He hadn't needed the lantern she used to sneak to Elsa's room; he had his own. Once they reached their destination, he waved the flurry of snowflakes away. "I can't keep doing this every night."

Sophie crawled into her bed. "I know that."

"I know, it's tempting, being rebellious. You and every other teenager deal with it."

"Stop, you sound like Dad."

"I know. That's the fun part about being your brother, annoying you."

"Jack... I'm not weird, am I?"

Jack furrowed his brow. "Where did that come from?"

"Nowhere. I mean... do you think it's bad I like it when you tuck me in at night?" She sheepishly held her knees.

"There's nothing wrong with being afraid of the dark, Sophie." He grinned. "I know that's your secret. You told me all the time I was the only one who could make the monsters go away when we were kids."

"Jack." She said in a soft voice. "...You'll never leave me again, right?"

Jack's heart fluttered. That's what's been going through her mind? Why now? Why so suddenly? "Why would you say that?" He approached and sat next to her.

"I... for some reason, I keep having a dream that you're gone again... and you don't even say goodbye. We're looking for you and we can't find you. It's just like I remember after you ran away." She cuddled to him, getting goosebumps from his chilly temperature, but she didn't mind. "Dreams don't mean anything, right?"

"No. Of course not. Sometimes we just go through periods where we have bad thoughts at night." He tried to sound wise, but really he was just as troubled as she was. "I'm not going anywhere ever again. I'd miss you too much." He smiled. "Besides, who else am I supposed to pick on if I'm gone?" That made Sophie snort, but she was too tired to respond now. "Come on, I wanna go to bed."

"Okay, okay." She crawled under her sheets. The winter weather was much more bearable in the comfort of a castle and not a small, log cabin. Jack couldn't tell the difference either way.

"G'night, Sis."

"Night, Jack."

He closed the door, then passed Elsa's chamber. He partly wanted to stop and give her the good night kiss he would've given her had Sophie not been there. She just loved to tease them. It turns out, he wouldn't have much choice in it at all, as Elsa yanked him by the collar into her room and stole a kiss. He pulled away. "Isn't there a better way of doing that without strangling me?"

"What do you mean? That is the best way!" She fixed his bed jacket. Jack smirked and, normally, he would kiss her back... but he was thinking of something. Elsa knew. "What is it?"

"Nothing." Elsa gave him a look. "No, really! I'm just drowsy. I haven't been to sleep yet."

"Even when you're 'drowsy,' you still like to hide snow-spiders in my pillow." She still hadn't quite forgiven him for that. "You're normally not so closed off."

"I know. I just... I can't explain it." He spoke quietly. "Elsa, I need to ask you something."

"What is it?"

"Ever since I gave you your..." she knew, she put her hand over heart. "Do you feel like they're getting stronger? Like something's all of the sudden changing?"

"Sometimes... a little. But haven't you gotten used to that? You've had them your whole life!"

"Well, yeah, but not like this. I feel like..." He looked at his hands, he made frost on his fingertips. "I feel like something that's bigger than me is happening. And I think maybe Sophie feels it too."

"Sophie?"

"Yeah... she's been worried I'll run away again."

"Well that's just ridiculous, you'd never leave without warning."

"Of course it is!" He paced towards the window as he spoke. "But who's to say I might not have to go anywhere?" Jack was never good with his own intuition; he was too busy thinking of all the negative possibilities and outcomes. With no solid, stable idea to settle, his mind went everywhere! " Jack watched the falling snow. "I finally belong somewhere... and I have you, my mom, my dad..."

Elsa came close and held his shoulder. "It's okay to feel this way." She snuggled to his side and they both gazed out the window. "Maybe, once Yule's over, we can travel somewhere." He looked at her quizzically. "I mean it. We don't have to stay here all winter." She smirked; wasn't it obvious the weather wouldn't be a problem for them? "It'll be an adventure! Come on, think about it."

"Yeah, yeah. He put his hand on hers. "I'll think about it."